Crossing gate structure



Feb. 28, 1939. M. MCD.' DILLEY 2,148,733 cRssING GATE STRUCTURE' Filed May 14, 1936 s sheets-sheet 1` l INVENTOR.'I MorrisMC). pu;

Hamam ATTORNEY" n n n n n n' Feb. 28,1939. M. MCD. DILLEY 2,148,733

' CROSSING GATE STRUCTURE Filed May 14, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 mnu? l CONTROL CASE l INVENTOR. Morris Mfnmzlej BY QAM 3M ATTORNEY Feb. 28, 1939. M. MCD, D|LLEY cRossING GATE STRUCTURE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 14, 1956 y :N1/Emol; Morris Mf. Dill@ BY@ z E Q s t ATTORNEYS a 3 s 5 6 33 6 m wwf 32m ,n .MJ F1 L 9.8M 3 n 3S 1 5 R I S M S Patented Feb. 28, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENI OFFICE Applicationa May I4, 1936, Serial No. 79,727'

14 Claims.

Conventional. crossing gate structures', which are. employed at; railroad crossings toA stop highway traffic during the appro'acliof a train, usually: comprise. a hollow standard", a. hollow head' mounted on theA upper' end off the standard for limited horizontal movement out of its normal position, a gate' ptvotally supported bythe head for vertical movement into'A and out of' operative position, andgate operating` mechanism for moving the gate vertically. The. head:y and standard usuallyl carry coi-operating stop lugswhich prevent the gate from being' swung. outl of its,l normal Vertical plane of operation horizontally toward the crossing; but Apermitsuch. movement in the opposi-te direction away from the crossing so` as to enable a vehicle*` trapped onv the crossing between lowered gates*l to strike and swing a' gate` and thus escape from thel crossingwith little or no damage either tot the` gate. orto. the vehicle..

2o Various arrangements have been proposed to position where further horizontal' movement is prevented.` Y Y rllhe present invention, which relates to the return mechanism, has for its: principal object the provision: of a return mechanism which is not characterized: byv any of' the foregoing' objections. MoreI specically, the objects are:y to provide an inexpensive return mechanism ofi' simple character; tol provide one which` prevents' thel rise of the gate while it is' out of its normal position; to provideone which requires'` the same' easy turn force at any point in; its outward travel; and to provide one which not. onlyv returns.' the: gate: at

a uniform: speed but ata designed' rate of. speed that can bemadei low enough to: prevent any possibility of damage.

A further object is to provide a returnY mechanismi which can be to move a gate automatically from oneof' its positions tof a caution position intermediate its; up and-l down positions, uporr a power fail-ure;

The invention is illustrated: the: accompany-- 55, ingk drawings: wherein-'-v Figure 1` is a vertical section through a gate structure which embodies my invention;

Figure 2 is a` similar section with the head turned 90 degrees;

Figure 3- is a top plan view thereof with the gate (broken ofi) and counterweight, indicated in dotted lines;

Figure 4' i's a schematic View of a suitable control system for the structure illustrated;

Figure 5\ is a section taken through line 5 5, Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a section taken through line 6 6, Figure 2;

Figure 7' is a detail showing the return mechanism control switches in their normal position;

Figure 8 is a similar detail showing the return mechanism switches: as they appear immediately after the head has been initially turned out of its normal position;

Figures 9` and 10 are rear elevations of a relay solenoid constructed accordance with the invention, thev gures showing the parts in the gate f up and gate down positions respectively;

Figures 11- and' 12 are corresponding front elevations thereof; and

Figure 13 is a side elevation.

The structure illustrated comprises a hollow cylindrical standard I, a hollow cylindrical head 2 mounted on the standard, a detachable cap 3 mounted on the head, and a gate shaft 4 whichv passeshorizontally through the head and upon which the gate 5v is mounted. The head is rotatably mounted on the standard through the agency of aI series of' rollers 6l carried at the upper end of the standard. The rollers engage an over-lying track on the head1 and, in the normal position of the head', extend into a similar series of recesses sothat the head will be elevated when horizontally turned. The rollers and recesses are spaced irregularly in. such fashion that they match only in theA normal position of the head whereby the latter remains elevated as long as it remains out of its' normal position. It will be understood that suitable stop, lugs are provided between head and standard which prevent turning movement of gate from normal' position toward or across the tracks but which: permit movement in opposite direction.

Any suitable gate operating mechanism may be employed, such as the one described and claimed' in the application of Henry F. Hawes, liledv May 114, 1936; and serially numbered 79,728. The mechanism therein' and herein shown is of a jack type which comprises a piston-cylinder or jack J\ allow control valve V, a; pump P,l and a motor M. The piston of the jack is connected to the gate shaft so as to lower the gate when moved one way and raise it when moved the other. The

gate raising and lowering chambers of the jack are respectively connected by pipes to the valve V, which, in its normal or gate raising position, connects the gate raising and gate lowering chambers of the jack respectively to the supply and suction sides 'I and 8 of the pump and in its other or gate lowering position reverses these connections. 'Ihe supply and suction sides of the pump are connected to each other through a pressure relief valve S. The pump and motor are preferably mounted on a U-shaped bracket I il, which depends from the inner end of the head so as to turn therewith.

The valve V may 'be operated in any suitable way but preferably is operated by a combined relay solenoid II of the character described in the latter part of this specication. The relay solenoid II is mounted on the U-shaped bracket. Its operation can be determined by referring to the control system shown in Figure 4. In this system, it will be noted that the interlocking relays I normally, that is to say, when the gate is up, maintain open the circuit of the relay R of relay solenoid Il. When a train enters the protected block from one direction, the corresponding interlocking relay I will cause the corresponding one oi the interlocking relay switches I2 to be operated so as to place the control relay R across the battery B. The energization of the relay R causes switch RI3 to close, thus placing the solenoid S of the relay solenoid across the Vbattery B. With the energization of the solenoid an operating member or solenoid carriage is moved from one position to another and is held in such other position by the relay R. This operating member, in moving to the relay holding position, operates a normally closed switch SI4 to open its own circuit and thus effect itsdeenergization. The operating member at the same time opens a normally closed switch SI5 which is in series with the up limit switch I5 of the motor and closes a normally open switch kSI6 which is in series with the down limit switch I6 of the motor. In this manner, the motor is placed across the battery through its down circuit and the gate thus moved from its up to its down position, in which position the motor circuit is opened by the down limit switch I6. Thus, it will be seen that, when the control relay R is energized, it causes the solenoid circuit to be energized and the operating member to be moved from one position to another and that, as long as the control relay R remains energized, the operating member will remain in said othen or operated position. Since the operating member, in moving to its operated position, opens both the solenoid circuit switch, SIlI, and the motor up circuit switch SI5, and closes the motor down circuit switch SI, it will be further evident that these parts remain in their respective operated positions as long as the relay remains energized.

The relay R remains energized until the train leaves the protected block.` When this occurs, the proper interlocking relay I operates the corresponding switch I2 to open the relay circuit. The relay circuit thereupon opens the solenoid circuit through switch RI3 and permits the operating member to be returned to its normal position by a spring (not shown) thereby not only returning the valve to the position in which it conditions the operating mechanism for the up movement, but at the same time closing the crossing, the gate will be broken.

motor up circuit switch SI5 to initiate the gate raising movement of the operating mechanism which movement continues until the gate is in the up position whereupon the motor circuit is opened by the up limit switch I5. In addition, of course, the operating member closes the solenoid circuit switch SM and opens the motor down circuit switch SIG.

While the gate is being lowered or raised, or, when it is in its lowered position, it may be struck by al vehicle. If the vehicle is approaching the If it is leaving the crossing, the gate will be horizontally turned. After the gate has been turned, it may be desirable to prevent it from rising before it returns to its normal position across the highway. To do this, means are provided, in accordance with the present invention, for energizing the relay R as soon as the gate leaves its normal vertical area or plane of operation and for keeping the relay energized so long as the gate remains out of its normal plane. In the construction illustrated, such means comprises a normally open switch il pivotally mounted on the head through the agency of a switch supporting frame I8 which is pivotally secured to a bracket Illa that depends from the underside of U-shaped bracket IIJ. The switch frame I 8 tends, by gravity,to rock to a switch closing position but normally is prevented from rocking by having its heavy end rest loosely on a fixed part I9 of the standard. However, as soon as the head begins to turn, it is elevated by the rollers and this elevating movement raises the switch frame I8 relatively to the Xed rest I9 suliciently to permit the frame to rock to the switch closing position. The switch Il, being carried by the head, naturally remains in its closed position as long as the head remains out of its normal position. Since this switch functions only to shortcircuit or shunt out the interlocking relay switch I2, which controls the energization of relay R, it becomes apparent that relay R will be energized and remain energized as long'as the head is out of its normal position. With the relay energized, the gate operating mechanism will be operated to lower the gate, if it be out of the' lowered'position, and, to hold it in such position until the head returns to and drops in its normal position.

After the vehicle, which turns the gate, has released it, it is desirable to return the gate. In further accordance with my invention this is accomplished by securing a piston and cylinder between and respectively to the standard and head, connecting its chambers to each other through a pressure relief valve and to the suction and pressure sides of a motor driven pumpin such manner that the pump tends to operate piston and cylinder in a gate return direction, and operating the pump while the head remains out of the normal position. 'Iol this end a return cylinder 26 is xedly secured to the underside of the heads U-shaped bracket I so as to rotate with the head. Its piston 2i is connected through a flexible chain 22, which extends around a guide member' 23, in the form of a rotatable gear mounted on and carried by head bracket IIJ, to a connector 24, the latter being pivotally mounted on a iixed centrally located standard part 25. In this manner, when the gate is turned outwardly from its normal position, the piston is held stationary and the cylinder moved clockwise in the arrangement illustrated. In moving clockwise, the size of its gate turning chamber 2.3 (on the left):y i-sincreased and that ofthe gate returning chamberl 25| (-on the right) is decreased while,A in' returningor moving counterclockwise, suchaction is reyersed.

Thegatey turning chamber 26- and returning chamber 2'|Y mayY be connected to an oil system independent off1 the system employed-v for the operating mechanism but preferably are connected respectively vto the suction and pressure sides of theoperating system and thus-` connected' to each other through the pressure relief valve 9-.

n Thus in. turning; outwardly oil: isrforced` from the return chamber into thev pressure side and drawn into the turn chamber from the suction side. In returning, such actionmust be reversed;` hence, it is. necessaryl to close the. motorcircuit since it will normally be' opened4 in the down position by the: down' limit switch- I6. Consequently, anotherl normally open switch 28, is; mounted on the pivotal frame |8a This switch; is arranged to close and open in.` the same manner as switch |l and, whenclosed, to shunt out the down limit switch I6. With this arrangement, as` soon as the headY turns', switches, and- 28 are operated to insure both: the' conditioning and the operation of the gateoperating mechanism for the down operation. If the gate is out of the downposition, it will be lowered and, if in the down position, it will be held down but an oil iiow will be established: through the relief Valve 9-. At the same time the return chamber 2l will also force oil into the pressure side of the oil system against the pressurev of the pump and this oil will likewise flow through the relief val-ve 9- to the suction side of theY system. from which some oilwill pass into the turn chamber. This action continues as long as the` gate turns outwardly. When ity reaches` the end of its outward movement, the oil pressure in supply side- 1: of operating mechanism oil system becomes effective to force oil into the return chamber 2'1 and draw oil out of the turn chamber` 26 to. effect thegate return movement. At its. normalr position, the head drops from` its; elevated position to open both switches |2'| and 4 28 and thereby restore the control system for normal operation.

Thev speed at. which the return mechanism re turns the, gatewillbe determined by theV capacity of the pump and the size of the return cylinder. It is easily possible. to. make the return cylinder of a size large enough to. ins-ure a Very low rate of return speed or at any smaller size to, provide. a correspondingly higher rate ofv speed, as may be desired.

It will be understood that the gate after reaching the up position will be locked therein as long. as the relay R remains de-energized and that, after it has reached the down position, it will again be locked as long asA the relay R remains energized. With this character of operation, it may be pointed, out that, the return mechanism can be made further to accomplish an important result, when. the rgate is in the down position, simply by counter-weighting thel gate, .as ind-icated by dotted lines 29'in Figure 3, so that it tends to rise by gravity. Now, with the gate loweredyshould a failure of some character, such as power failure which de-energizes the control system, cause the valve toV returny to itsv gate raisy ing position,l the counterweight will" exert a pressure in the suction sideof the oil system which tends to, turn the gate,Y a result prevented by the roller recesses. The return cylinder will therefore remain stationary but the counterweight pressure will be effective to move the piston to the right and. thereby permita ow of oil from thejgate lowering chamber of thel jackto the turn chamber 2.6- of the return mechanismand from the return chamber 21 of' the latter to the gate raising chamber of the jack, a flow which causes the gate to rise. 'Ihis iiow is not effective to; cause the gatev to rise; completely to the up position but it will cause it toV rise to a cautionary position wherein it is high enough to clear the highway and` low enough to attract attentionv and thereby act as a warning signal.

Referring now to the relay solenoid, which has been hereinbefore designated generally by the numeral l l, as in Figures 1 and 2', it is noted that such device is shown in detail in Figures 9 to 13 inclusive. As shown,v its relay R comprises a relay co-il 30, a magnetic core 3|' of. inverted U- shape, and an armature 32,l movable between inoperative or gate up and operative or gate down positions, while its solenoid S comprises a pair of coil-s; 33. arranged betweenv upper and lower cross members 34, 35 of magnetic. and' non-magnetic character,v respectively, and solenoid plungers 36 for each coil, each plungerbeing movable, through an opening-in the lower non-magnetic cross member 35 of' the solenoid, between inoperative or gate up and o-perative'or gate downzpositions,A and being, mechanically connected to: each other by a. magnetic. cross bar'31'.

The relay and solenoid are held as an unit in iiXed space relation by brass securing bolts 38 extending in pairs on each side of the unit from the relay core 3 I- through the solenoid upper and lower cross members 34 and 35,. while the relay core 3| isl spaced. from the solenoid cross member 34 by brass spacers 38a placed over the securing bolts 38. The relay core 3|, solenoid stationary cross members 34 and' 35, bolts 38 and spacers 38a thus cooperate toprovide a fixedor unitary framev in which the magnetic circuit of the relay and solenoid are independent of each other.

The movement of the relay armature 32 is. used toeffect the operation of the solenoid circuit closing switch R|3 and to this end such switch is pivotally mounted on the frame of the relay solenoid and actuated through aV link 39 which is mechanically connected at its opposite ends to the switch Rill-3 and' the relay armature 32. With the solenoidcoils energized, their plungers 36 will move upwardly and such move.- ment. may be utilized to. operate. the valve V from the gate up to the gate down position by connecting. the valve to the solenoid plunger'v cross bar 3l.

To hold. they Valve in the: gate, down position, a holding armature 4B' is arranged between the relay core 3|. and the solenoid; upper cross mem.- ber 34 andmechanically connected to the solenoid plungers. 35 for movement upwardly against the relay corel when* the' solenoid is' energized. Accordingly the; holding. armature 4.0 is connected to the plunger cross bar 3.1 by non-magnetic arms 4| at the outer sides, of the solenoid' coils. Thus the solenoid plungers 36 together with their cross member 3l, arms 4| and holding armature 4i), Aform a movable carriage which moves upwardly, when the solenoid is energized, until carriage holding armature 40.l strikes, relay core 3|.. The latter thereafter holds the carriage in its upper position as longas the relay remain energized. With this arrangement the solenoid can be deenergized immediately after its operation. Consequently the solenoid switch S|4 and oney or more other switches, as maybe desired, such as the motor jup: circuit. switch, SL55 and. the; motor down circuit switch SIG, are pivotally mounted on the xed frame of the relay solenoid and operated by the movement of the solenoid carriage through an arm 42 which connects the carriage to the switches. It will be obvious that, when the relay coil 30 is deenergized, its armature and the armature-operated switch, as well as the solenoid carriage and the carriage-operated .3. switches, will return to their normal positions.

rIhe return of the carriage is made positive by using springs i3 between the carriage and the frame which springs are conveniently placed over the carriage arms M, between frame part 313 and carriage part 31.

The term` jacktype, as applied herein to crossing gates, is intended to deiine a pivoted gate structure in which the gate arm is moved, between its operative and inoperative positions, by a fluid-operated piston-cylinder device or jack.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A crossing gate for protecting a track block comprising a horizontally swingable gate normally movable vertically between up and down positions, an operating mechanism to move said gate vertically, a control system having a relay which, when energized and de-energized, renders the system operable to effect the operation of said operating mechanism for gate movements respectively in opposite direction, and means operative when the gate is horizontally turned while lowered to condition the relay for the gate down operation only.

2. A crossing gate for protecting a track block comprising a horizontally swingable gate normally movable vertically between up and down positions, operating mechanism for moving the gate up and down, said mechanism including a valve operable inone position to condition the operating mechanism for the down movement and in its other position for the up movement of the gate, a system for controlling the operating mechanism, said system including a relay solenoid operable when the relay is energized to move the valve to one of its positions and, when dei-energized, to move the valve to the other position and means operative when the gate is horizontally turned while lowered to condition the relay for the valve down position only.

3. A crossing gate for protecting a track block comprising a horizontally swingable gate normally movable vertically between up and down.

positions, operating mechanism for moving the gate up and down, said mechanism including a valve operable in one position to condition the operating mechanism for the down movement and in its other position for the up movement of the gate, a control system having a relay operable when the relay is energized to effect -the down operation or" the gate operating mechanism and, when the relay is de-energized, to effect the up operation, a normally open switch adapted when closed to cause said relay to be energized, and means for closing said switch when the gate is horizontally turned while lowered.

4. A crossing gate for protecting a track block comprising a standard, a normally stationary horizontally turnable head, a gate carried by said head for vertical operation between up and down positions, means for moving said gate up and down, a piston cylinder connected between head and standard, and fluid-pressure operated means operative after the head is horizontally turned to operate said piston cylinder to return said head to its normal position occupied when the gate is down and extends across the highway.

5. A crossing gate for protecting a track block comprising a standard, a normally stationary horizontally turnable head, a gate carried by said head for Vertical operation between. up and down positions, means for moving' said gate up and down, a return mechanism having a piston part and a cylinder part connected between head and standard, one part being stationary and the other movable with the head when the latter is horizontally turned, and huid-pressure operated means operative after the head is turned to return said movable part to its normal position occupied when the gate is down and extends across the highway and thereby to return the head.

6. A crossing gate for protecting a track block comprising a standard, a normally stationary horizontally turnable head, a gate carried by said head for vertical operation between up and down positions, means for moving said gate up and down, a gate return mechanism having a piston part and a cylinder part connected between and respectively secured to said head and standard,

Vone part being stationary and the other part being movable with the head when it is horizon.- tally turned, and a source of fluid pressure, said cylinder having a return fluid chamber connected to said source of fluid pressure to elect the return of said head after it has been horizontally turned.

7. A crossing gate for protecting a track block comprising a standard, a normally stationary horizontally turnable head, a gate carried by said head for vertical operation between up and down positions, means for moving said gate up and down, a gate return mechanism having a piston part and a cylinder part connected between and respectively secured to said head and standard, one part being stationary and the other part being movable with the head when it is horizontally turned, and a pump having its pressure side connected to said cylinder and adapted when operated to urge said movable return mechanism part in the return direction of the head, and means for maintaining the pump in operation when the head is turned.

8. A crossing gate for protecting a track block comprising a standard, a normally stationary horizontally turnable head, a gate carried by said head for vertical operation between up and down positions, a jack for operating the gate up and down, a jack operating system including a reversing valve and a motor driven pump connected through said valve to said jack, a relief valve connecting supply side of pump to suction side thereof, a gate return mechanism having a piston part and a cylinder part connected between and respectively secured to said head and standard, one part being stationary and the other movable with the head when the latter is horizontally turned, said cylinder having turn and return chambers respectively connected to suction and pressure sides of said pump, and means for maintaining the pump in operation when the head is turned.

9. A crossing gate for protecting a track block comprising a standard, a gate supported by said standard for-vertical operation between up and down positions, a motor actuated operating mechanism for moving the gate up and down, an electrical control system therefor, and means operativev upon a motor failure occurring when the operating mechanism is conditioned to eiect movement of the gate from lowered position to raised position to move said gate from said lowered position toward said raised position to an intermediate position.

l0. A crossing gate for protecting a track block comprising a standard, a gate supported by said standard for vertical operation between up and down positions, a motor actuated operating mechanism for moving the gate up and down, an electrical control system therefor, and counterweight means operative upon a motor failure occurring when the operating mechanism is conditioned for ymeans operative, when the gate is horizontally turned while lowered, to render the control system inoperable for effecting the gate raising operation of said operating mechanism.

12. A crossing gate for protecting a track block comprising: a horizontally swingable gate normally movable vertically between up and down positions; an operating mechanism to lower and raise said gate between said positions; a system electrically controlling the operation of said oper,- ating mechanism; and means operative, when the gate is horizontally turned while lowered, to render the control system inoperable for conditioning the gate operating mechanism for the gate raising operation.

13. A crossing gate for protecting a track block comprising: a horizontally swingable gate normally movable in a vertical plane between up and down positions; an operating mechanism to raise and lower said gate between said positions; a system for electrically controlling the operation of said operating mechanism; and means operative, when and as long as the gate is both lowered and horizontally swung out of said vertical plane, to render the control system inoperable for effecting the gate raising operation of said operating mechanism.

i4. A crossing gate for protecting a track block comprising: a horizontally swingable gate normally movable in a Vertical plane between up and down positions; an operating mechanism to raise and lower said gate between said positions; a system for electrically controlling the operation of said operating mechanism; and means operative, when and as long as the gate is both lowered and horizontally swung out of said vertical plane, to render the control system operable only for e'ecting the gate lowering operation of said operating mechanism.

MORRIS MCD. DILLEY. 

